JP3484186B1 - Printing service system - Google Patents

Abstract

A print service system capable of printing an image in a desired area at low cost by simply attaching the image to an e-mail and transmitting the image is provided. SOLUTION: A mail receiving unit 51 for receiving an e-mail including attached image data transmitted from a user via the Internet 30, and a print user designation management unit for creating and transmitting a user ID and a password to the user 53 and a user directory 61 for each user ID
The mail server 2 has a data storage unit 6 for creating the image data and storing the image data. One or more print terminals 1
0 downloads image data from the data storage unit 6 via the Internet 30 and performs printing when a user ID and a password are input from the user via the touch panel. The use guidance including the information on the installation location of the print terminal 10 is presented to the user by the website (use guidance site) 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print service system, and more particularly to a print service system for printing an image taken by a camera-equipped mobile phone.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional print service system, there is one that prints attached data, which cannot be recognized by a mobile device such as a mobile phone, by a nearest printer connected to a wide area network (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ).

[0003]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-41422

In the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the mail server notifies the mobile phone of the reception of the e-mail with the attached data and transmits the attached data and the user ID separated from the e-mail to the print server. To do. The print server that manages multiple printers
A data storage unit that stores the received attached data and the user ID and a data storage / retrieval unit are provided. When the user ID is input to one of the plurality of printers, the printer notifies the input user ID to the print server,
The print server retrieves the attached data corresponding to the notified user ID, transfers it to the printer, and prints it.
As a method of inputting the user ID, a weak radio wave including information of a telephone number is always transmitted from the mobile phone to the base station in order to inform the position of the mobile phone even in the standby state. When the printer receives the radio wave, the telephone number is acquired as the user ID.

[0005]

Since the conventional print service system described in Patent Document 1 is configured as described above, for example, when printing an image taken by a camera-equipped mobile phone, the user can attach the image by himself. It is necessary to send an e-mail to itself, receive the e-mail text, then receive a processing confirmation e-mail, and send back an e-mail requiring attachment data to the server. There is a problem that there is a lot of interaction between the mobile phone and the server, and the mobile phone needs to be transmitted at least twice, which is troublesome for the user. In addition, the image that can be printed in this way is not out of battery, and if you carry the mobile phone that received the mail and do not enter the user ID, the data will not be transferred to the printer. If you forget your phone, run out of battery, or a third party in a remote location, or multiple people at the same time can't print at completely different places, and as a result there aren't many advantages. There was a problem that it was inconvenient. Further, as a method of inputting the user ID, the method of receiving the weak radio wave emitted from the mobile phone has a problem that the printer becomes expensive.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and it is possible to print an image at a low cost in a desired area simply by attaching the image to an electronic mail and transmitting it. The purpose is to obtain a print service system that can.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic mail receiving means which is connected to a communication network and receives an electronic mail including attached image data transmitted from the user via the communication network, and used by the user. and the user-specified management means you create a user ID and a password, be sent to the above e-mail address to the e-mail address to be, the user ID
When a user directory is created for each user and the image data received by the receiving means is stored for each user ID, and the user is connected to the communication network and the user ID and the password are input. , Download the image data from the data storage means via the communication network, and print the image data 1
Based on the above e-mail address, equipped with the above printing means
When the registered user ID already exists, the above user specified management
The method is to use the existing user ID and password
Send to the dress, and the above data storage means,
The above image is displayed in the user directory corresponding to the user ID.
A print service system characterized by storing data . In addition, when the above-mentioned e-mail receiving means receives
The e-mail is sent from the mobile terminal of the above user.
The email address above is for the mobile terminal.
It is an email address. Furthermore, the mobile terminal is a mobile
It consists of a telephone.

Further, there is further provided a usage guidance display means connected to the communication network for displaying usage guidance including information on the installation location of the printing means.

Further, the printing means has a touch panel, and the user ID and the password are inputted by an input unit composed of a ten-key pad displayed on the touch panel.

Further, when the mail address of another user other than the user is described as the body of the electronic mail received by the electronic mail receiving means, the user designation management means gives the user a user ID. When sending the password and the password, the user ID and the password are also sent to the email addresses of the other users at the same time.

Further, the user ID and the password transmitted to the mail addresses other than the user are the same as those transmitted to the user.

Further, the user ID and the password transmitted to the mail addresses other than the user are different from those transmitted to the user.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiment 1. First, the configuration of the print service system of the present invention will be described with reference to the configuration diagram of FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the server 1 and the print terminal 10 are connected by a wide area communication network such as the Internet 30. In addition, they and camera-equipped mobile phones 20
Are connected via the communication carrier network 31 and the Internet 30.

The server 1 includes a mail server 2, a website (user guide site) 3, and the Internet 30.
A network interface 4 is provided for exchanging communication via the network. A control unit 5 and a data storage unit 6 are provided in the mail server 2. The control unit 5 receives the e-mail including the attached image data, the mail receiving unit 51, the received file decoding unit 52 that separates and decodes the attached image data from the e-mail, and the user I based on the sender's mail address.
D, password, print user designation management unit 53 for creating a user directory, mail sending unit 54 for sending a user ID and password as an e-mail to the sender's mail address, and management of image data stored in the user directory And a file management unit 55 for performing. In the data storage unit 6, a plurality of user directories (a, ..., N) 61 created corresponding to each user are provided, and an image 62 is stored.

In the print terminal 10, a control unit 11 and
Network interface 12 and data holding unit 1
3 and the input unit 14 are provided. The control unit 11
A data receiving unit 111 that receives the image data downloaded from the data storage unit 6, an image processing unit 112 that performs image processing of the downloaded image data, and an image display unit 11 that previews the image processed image data.
3, a charging processing unit 114 that performs a charging process for printing the image data, and a print processing unit 115 that prints the image data.

Next, the operation will be described. FIG. 2 shows the flow of processing. The website 3 is a website corresponding to each mobile phone carrier, and is accessed by a user who wants to use the print service of the present invention via the Internet. When accessed, the screen of the mobile phone 20 owned by the user is displayed. A usage guide screen including information on the installation location of the print terminal 10 is displayed. It should be noted that the website 3 is described as being in the server 1 in the example of FIG. 1, and the website 3 and the mail server 2 coexist in the server 1. However, the present invention is not limited to this case. You may make them independent. The user first captures a desired image with the camera-equipped mobile phone 20 (step S1).
Next, the usage method is confirmed on the usage guidance screen of the website 3 (steps S2 and S3), and according to the information, the image taken by the camera-equipped mobile phone 20 is attached to the email as an email attachment to the email server 2. It is transmitted (step S4). FIG. 3A shows an example of a screen of the mobile phone 20 when sending an image-attached electronic mail. As shown in FIG. 3A, the mail address of the user, the mail address of the mail server 2, the subject for the user to identify the image, and the attached image data file name are described. In this way, the mail server 2 that received the e-mail
Receives an electronic mail by the mail receiving unit 51. The mail receiving unit 51 determines whether or not the received email has an image attached (step S5), and if there is no attachment, the process proceeds to step S6, and the email without attachment is received by the camera-equipped mobile phone 20. Send an e-mail to that effect. When the image is attached, the file reception decoding unit 52 extracts the attached file from the e-mail, decodes it (converts the text into an image file), and causes the print user designation management unit 53 to send the e-mail address of the sender. Based on the user ID, password, and user directory 61 (if the user ID based on the mail address already exists, the existing user ID, password, and user directory are used) (step S7). Next, the file management unit 55 saves the image file in the user directory 61 of the data storage unit 6. The user directory 61 is created for each user, and the image data stored therein is stored in the user I
It is managed by D and the user's email address. Next, the user ID and password are sent to the user by e-mail by the mail sending unit 54, and the mobile phone 2
0 is received (step S8). FIG. 3B shows an example of the screen of the mobile phone 20 when the electronic mail is received.

As a result, the image in the user directory a61 can be printed using the print terminal 10 with two pieces of information, the user ID and the password. Print terminal 10
Is connected to the server 1 via the Internet 30.
The user who has received the notification mail of the user ID and password refers to the website 3 and refers to the print terminal 1
Check the location where 0 is installed and go to the installation location. Since it is desirable that a plurality of users can freely visit and use the print terminal 10, the print terminal 10 is installed, for example, in a store such as a convenience store, a supermarket, or a department store, a DPE shop, or a station yard. FIG. 4 shows an example of the screen of the print terminal 10, and FIG. 5 shows an example of the appearance of the print terminal 10. The screen 40 of the print terminal 10 is composed of a touch panel or the like, and as shown in FIG. 4, a ten key 41 for inputting a user ID and a password and one or more images are displayed (in the example of FIG. 4, (8 images), a preview section 42 that allows the user to input which screen to print by directly touching with a finger, a page feed button 43 for switching the screen to the previous page and the next page, and the fee and the amount of money for printing. Is displayed, and these constitute the input unit 14 of FIG. 1.

Returning to the explanation of FIG. 2, the user who goes to the print terminal 10 is required to input the input section 14 of the print terminal 10.
When the user ID and password sent by e-mail from the server 2 are input using the ten-key 41, the data receiving unit 111 of the print terminal 10 causes all of the data in the user directory a61 in the data storage unit 6 on the server 1 to be entered. The image file of is downloaded to the print terminal 10 and saved in the data holding unit 13 (step S9). The size of the downloaded image file is adjusted by the image processing unit 112 and thumbnail-displayed on the screen display unit 113 (that is, a plurality of images are displayed simultaneously as shown in FIG. 4). While previewing the image on the screen display unit 113, the user selects the image to be printed and specifies the number / size. Specifically, one of the images in the preview portion 42 is directly touched with a finger to select the image, and thereafter, the number of prints and the size are designated by the ten keys 41. Further, when the user inserts a predetermined amount of money calculated by the billing processing unit 114 and displayed on the billing display unit 44 of the screen 40 into the coin slot of the print terminal 10, the print terminal 10 causes the print processing unit 115 to print. Then, the image is printed (step S10). The image file in the data storage unit 6 is deleted by the control of the file management unit 55 in the control unit 5 of the server 1 after a lapse of a certain period from the storage. Therefore, the image can be printed any number of times during the fixed period.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the website 3 for each mobile phone carrier is created, and the image taken by the mobile phone 20 with the camera from the site 3 is designated as the mail attachment file by the mail server. 2, the user ID and password are returned from the mail server 2 side to the image sender (user). The user goes to the place where the print terminal 10 described in the website 3 is installed, and inputs the user ID and password on the touch panel of the print terminal 10 by attaching the user ID and password to the e-mail and is sent. Images can be downloaded automatically, and you can select an image to print on the spot and print it. This is convenient because an image taken by a camera-equipped mobile phone can be printed easily and inexpensively in an area that suits the convenience of the user. Further, since the touch panel is used, it has excellent operability.

Further, by allowing the user to access the website 3, the preview portion 42 displayed on the screen of FIG. 4 can be displayed on the screen of the mobile phone 20 or a personal computer via the Internet 30. For example, before the user goes to the printing terminal 10,
It is possible to confirm in advance whether or not the desired image is in the data storage unit 6, and the convenience is further improved.

Embodiment 2. By contacting the third party with the user ID and password described in the first embodiment, the third party can print an image in the same manner as the user himself / herself. Therefore, in the present embodiment, an example will be described in which the mail server 2 transmits the user ID and the password to one or more third parties designated by the user. Since the overall configuration of the print service system is the same as that shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, the description thereof will be omitted here with reference to these figures.

FIG. 6 shows the flow of processing in this embodiment. In FIG. 6, the same processes as those in FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted here. After steps S1 to S3, in step S4A, when sending the image data, as shown in FIG. 7A, the mail address of a third party other than the user such as a friend is written in the body of the electronic mail. Thereby, when the mail server 2 transmits the user ID and the password to the mobile phone 20 in step S7A, the user ID can be simultaneously transmitted to a third party other than the user designated by the user in step S4A.
And the password will be sent. Thereby, the third party designated by the user receives the user ID and the password (step S8A). FIG. 7B shows an example of the screen of the mobile phone on which the emails received by the user and the third party are displayed.

The user ID and password may be the same as those transmitted to the user and those transmitted to a third party in order to reduce the processing load, but in consideration of security, the user ID and password may be the same. They may be different from each other. Also, the user ID and password are
Since a random number is generated by the server 1 and each of them is made up of, for example, a 6-digit number and a 4-digit number, a ten-key input can be made when inputting to the print terminal 10, and the user can save time and effort.

As described above, in the present embodiment,
By writing the email address of a third party such as a friend in the text when the user sends the image to the email server 2,
After the user receives the user ID and password, the user ID and password are sent at the same time to the friend or the like at the written email address without having to contact the third party again. Similar to the user himself, the image can be printed easily and inexpensively in a completely different place, and the attached data can be shared.

In addition to the above, as another method that enables printing by a third party, the user ID sent by sending the image data by mail attachment and returned by the same processing as in the first embodiment. And the password may be manually contacted by the user to a third party by email or phone call.

[0026]

According to the present invention, an electronic mail receiving means connected to a communication network for receiving an electronic mail including attached image data transmitted from a user via the communication network, and an electronic mail address used by the user are provided. In response to this, a user designation management means for creating a user ID and password and transmitting the user ID and password to the e-mail address, and a user directory for each user ID
A data storage unit that creates a directory and stores the image data received by the receiving unit for each user ID, and the data when the user ID and the password are connected to the communication network. One or more printing means for downloading the image data from the storage means via the communication network and printing the image data is provided , and the user ID based on the mail address is assigned.
When it already exists, the user designation management means
Send user ID and password to the above email address
In addition, the data storage means uses the existing user ID.
Store the above image data in the corresponding user directory
Since the printing service system is characterized in that the image can be printed at a low cost in a desired area simply by attaching the image to an e-mail and transmitting the image.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an overall configuration of a print service system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the print service system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a screen of a camera-equipped mobile phone used for the print service system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a screen of a print terminal provided in the print service system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of an external appearance of a print terminal provided in the print service system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the print service system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a screen of a camera-equipped mobile phone used for the print service system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 server, 2 mail server, 3 website (user guide site), 4 network interface, 5
Control unit, 6 data storage unit, 10 printing terminal, 1
1 control unit, 12 network interfaces, 1
3 data holding part, 14 input part, 20 camera-equipped mobile phone, 30 internet, 31 communication carrier network, 40 screen, 41 numeric keypad, 42 preview part, 43 page feed button, 44 billing display part, 51
Mail receiving unit, 52 Received file decoding unit, 53
Print user designation management section, 54 mail transmission section, 5
5 File Manager, 61 User Directory, 62
Image data, 111 data receiving unit, 112 image processing unit, 113 screen display unit, 114 billing processing unit, 115
Print processing unit.

Front page continued (72) Inventor Yutaka Kami-gun 2-3-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (72) Inventor Fumiyuki Yoshino 2-3-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Mitsubishi Electric Information Systems Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masaki Omata 2-3-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Mitsubishi Electric Information Systems Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP 2002-132923 (JP, A) JP 2002-290711 ( JP, A) JP 2002-171465 (JP, A) JP 2001-290619 (JP, A) JP 2002-207583 (JP, A) Fumiki Ichikawa, "Taking a picture!" Nikkei Zero One, September 2000, Nikkei Home Publishing, Japan, September 1, 2000, Volume 52, pages 54-57 (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 17/60 506 G06F 3/12 G06F 13/00 625

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] 1. An electronic mail receiving unit connected to a communication network for receiving an electronic mail including attached image data transmitted from a user via the communication network, and a user I for a mail address used by the user.
D and password, user designation management means for sending to the e-mail address, user directory for each user ID , and data storage for storing the image data received by the receiving means for each user ID. Means and the communication network, and when the user ID and the password are input, the image data is downloaded from the data storage means via the communication network,
Provided with one or more printing means for printing the image data, and exists the user ID based on the email address already
In this case, the user designation management means is
D, send the password to the above email address, and
The data storage means is a user corresponding to an existing user ID.
A print service system characterized in that the image data is stored in a user directory . 2. The email received by the electronic mail receiving means.
The e-mail is sent from the mobile terminal of the above user.
Therefore , the above email address is the email address of the mobile terminal.
Print Service system according to claim 1, characterized in that
Mu. 3. The mobile terminal comprises a mobile phone.
The printing service according to claim 2, wherein
system. 4. The printing means connected to the communication network,
User guide table that displays user guide including information on installation location
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising indicating means.
The print service system according to any one of 3 above. 5. The printing means has a touch panel.
Ri, the user ID and the password, above the touch
Enter with the input section consisting of the numeric keypad displayed on the panel.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the force is applied.
Print service system listed. 6. Received by the electronic mail receiving means.
As the body of the above email, users other than
When the e-mail address of the user is written, the user designation management means sends the user ID to the user.
And the password of the other user when sending
At the same time, the user ID and password
6. Sending a Seward.
The printing service system according to any one of 1. 7. Send to the above email address other than the user
The user ID and password that are stored are
A contract that is identical to that sent to the user
The printing service system according to claim 6. 8. Send to the above email address other than the user
The user ID and password that are stored are
Characterized by being different from the one sent to the user
The print service system according to claim 6.